Question: It can be shown that for any positive integer $n,$
\[\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}^n = \begin{pmatrix} F_{n + 1} & F_n \\ F_n & F_{n - 1} \end{pmatrix},\]where $F_n$ denotes the $n$th Fibonacci number.

Compute $F_{784} F_{786} - F_{785}^2.$
Answer: Since $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}^n = \begin{pmatrix} F_{n + 1} & F_n \\ F_n & F_{n - 1} \end{pmatrix},$
\[\det \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}^n = \det \begin{pmatrix} F_{n + 1} & F_n \\ F_n & F_{n - 1} \end{pmatrix}.\]Now,
\[\det \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}^n = \left( \det \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix} \right)^n = (-1)^n,\]and
\[\det \begin{pmatrix} F_{n + 1} & F_n \\ F_n & F_{n - 1} \end{pmatrix} = F_{n + 1} F_{n - 1} - F_n^2,\]so
\[F_{n + 1} F_{n - 1} - F_n^2 = (-1)^n.\]In particular, taking $n = 785,$ we get $F_{784} F_{786} - F_{785}^2 = \boxed{-1}.$